Circuit-breaker.



1. CUCULIC.

CIRCUIT BREAKER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1913.

Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Joseph Cucu c,

ATTORNEYS J. CUCULIC.

CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2B. 1913.

1,153,765. PateritedSept. 14, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHE! 2.

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CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28,1913.

PatentedSept. 14, 1915.

3 $HEETS-SHEE1 3.

INVENTOR Joseph Cuculic ATTO'RNEVS WITIVElSQS/ia the description of the structure and oper-' showing the breaker open; Fig. is a side JOSEPH CUCULIC, OF FIUME, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14:, 1915.

Application filed. June 28, 1913. Serial No. 776,277.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Josnrn CUoULio, electrical engineer, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Fiume, Austria-Hungary, have invented a new and Improved Circuit-Breaker, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates generally to circuit breakers adapted for use in either direct current systems or alternating current systems, and more particularly it relates to a new and improved construction which will operate automatically on overload or in the Objects and advantages following the useof the construction described will appear as ation of the prhferred form proceeds, the inventive idea' being comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all .the

views, and in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illus-' trating the relation of the parts electrically; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the breaker; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view view. partly sectional, showing the breaker closed; while Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view at right-angles to section of Fig. 4, the breaker being closed.

The preferred form of the invention comprises a casing made in two parts, a lower part 1 and an upper part 2, suitably 10111ed together, there being suitable packing 3 atthe joint in order to render the interior waterproof. Thelower part 1 is provided with offsets 4-5 in which openings 6 are formed in order to provide for the entrance of wires 7'" connected to the line, and

wires 8'-8 connected to the load. In order that the mechanism may be suitably held in position the lower part 1 is also provided with bosses 9 having openings 10 therein, whereby screws or bolts may be availed of. The top part 2 is provided with an opening 11, and is counter-bored for a; suitable portion, as at 12, the interior thereof being threaded as at 13, the counter-bored portion holding a suitable amount of packing material 14, a gland engaging the said threaded part 13, the opening 16 in the gland receiving the handleportion, whereby the circuit breaker is operated.

In the lower part lot the casing is a base 17, of any suitable material, carrying conducting blocks 18, 19, 20 and 21, eachof the blocks being provided with a binding screw 22; each of the blocks is also provided with a metallic plate 2324 with which the movable blades 25 are adapted to contact when the breaker is in closed position, means to be later described being provided for bringing these blades into such contact.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the wire 7 leading from the line extends into the casing and is connected to other binding screw 28 from which a wire- 29 leads to an electro-magnet to be resently set forth. The wire 7 leading rom the other side of the line passes into the casing and is connected to the binding screw 22 carried by the block 18. The wire 8 leading to one side of the load is connected "to the bindin screw 22 carried by the block 20, while the fivire S Ieading to the other side of the load is connected to the binding screw 30 carried on'a suitable piece of metal 31, the said piece carrying a second binding screw 32 from which a wire 33 leads, the destination of the wire \being presently set forth.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, it *5 n be noted that within the casing, and held in position on the base 17 by means of bolts 34:, is a current magnet 35 and a second current magnet 36, the magnet 35 being provided with an armature 37 pivotally mounted in position at 38 for a purpose to be later set forth, the magnet 36 being provided with an armature 39 pivotally mounted at 40, to be more completely described later on.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, the before-mentioned. wire 29 which leads from the binding crew 28 is connected to one terminal of t e current magnet 35, the other terminal of this magnet being connected to the wire 41 which leads to the binding screw 22 on the block 21. Referring still further to these said figures, one terminal of the second current coil 36 is connected to the before-mentioned. wire 33 leading to the fore-mentioned. connected to the wire 8 leading from one side of the load. The

- other wire 7"- leading from the line is in electrical circuit with the contact piece 23 with which one end of the other blade 25 engages, the other end of this blade being adapted for engagement with the contact piece 24, a wire leading from the plate 19 which carries this contact piece placing it in circuit with the second current coil 36, the Wire 33 leading from the said coil being connected to the wire 8 leading to the other side of the load by mean's of the binding screws 30-32. The parts thus far described serve to conduct the current through the breaker from the line to the load when the breaker is in operative position, the current circulating through the said magnets being adapted to actuate certain mechanism, to be presently described, under certain circumstances, .whereby the breaker may be opened. On top of the frame of the electro-magnet 35 is a standard +l3carrying a screw 14, a helical spring being pro vided with nuts 46 which engage the said screw, the other end of the spring engaging the upper end of the befo're-mentioned pivoted armature 37, or gear segment 153 to be hereinafter described. Also carried by the top of the said magnetic frame is a support -17 having a contact elen'ient 48 at its outer end with which the element 49 is adapted to engage when the armature is brought close to the pole face of the magnet. The said standard 43 is in electrical connection with a shunt winding 49 (Fig. 1) mounted on the core of the elect1.'o-magnet 3G, a wire 50' (Fig. 3) serving to connect the parts; the other end ofthis slnint winding is connected to the block 19 by a wire 51, a binding screw 52 being provided on the block. The eon tact element 48 carried by the support 47 is connected to the block 21 by means of a wire 53, a binding screw 54 being provided on the block, the result of such an arrangement being the closing of the circuit which includes the said shunt winding when the contact elements 18 and 49 are brought together by movement of the armature 37 under the influence of the field due to the electro-magnet The purpose of this shunt winding is to open the circuit under certain conditions which will be more fully set forth later on. 3

Extending upwardly from the lower part 1 of the casing are the stitndards 55 on which the brush carrier 5G is slidably mounted by means of holes 57 contained therein, the said carrier being provided with arms 58 at the outer end of which are conducting strips 59 carrying carbon blocksbO which come into engagement with similar blocks 61 carried by tliesaid plate 19 to which the supply and load wires are connected; these carbon blocks serve the well known purpose of taking up the sparking incident to opening of the breaker since the carbon blocks remain in engagementfor a certain length of time after the movable blades 25 which conduct the currenthave come out of enagement with the coiiperating plates 2324.

hcse blades 25 are preferably made up of a number of metal strips held together in the manner shown in Fig. 2, and held in ')osition at the outer ends of the arms 58 oi the brush carrier in any suitable manner, as by means of screws 62. Movably mounted in the said gland 15 earried in the opening 14 of the top of the breaker casing are the concentrically arranged rod 63 and sleeve 6%, movable relatively to each other through a certain distance, the upper end of the sleeve being provided with a handle 65. The upper end of the rod, which lies within the sleeve, is provided with an extension 66 hav, ing a nut (37 thereon, the interior of the sleeve being provided with a shoulder 68, the length'of the extension and the width of the shoulder determining the relative longitudinal movement of the sleeve along the rod, which movement will be determined by the engagement of the wall of the rod adjacent the bottom of the extension with the shoulder 8 in one direction, and the engagement of the said nut with the said shoulder (38 in the opposite direction. As particularly shown in Fig. 4, the lower end of the sleeve (31 extends outwardly at a suitable angle, as at 69, the outer side of this angularly entending portion engaging with I the under side of the top part 2 oi: the casmounted in any suitable ihanner as on a pin 74:, one end of the spring bearing against the bottom wall of the rod adjacent the end of the slot; the said hook 7 2 formed on the lever 70 engages the an ularly extending bottom portion 69 of the s eeve 64:, as shown particularly in Fig. t. Also mounted within the slot of the rod is a lever 75, shaped as lever being, provided with a shoulder 76 which engages the lower portion of the brush carrier 56 to bring into and hold leyer 75 in position shown'in Fig. 4, the other side, adjacent the lower end, being provided a with an offset 77 serving a purpose to be later described, the lever itself being pivotally mounted in any manner, as by means of a pin 78 carried by the rod. The sleeve and rod are maintained in the position [shown in Fig. 4: by means of a helical spring 79, carried in a suitable housing 80 adjacent the bottom of the casing, a concentrically arranged tubular extension 81 of rod 63 moving with the spring relatively to the housing,'the housing and extension 81 together forming a member for holding the,

spring. It now the handle 65 is pushed down it may move relatively tofthe rod a certainamount, the lever 70 moving therewith and the shoulder 71 on the lever being brought into engagement with the upper end of the lever 75 (Fig. 5) the parts being then in operative position; that is, the

blades 25 bridging the plates connecting the load and line, a current flowing therethrough if other switches 1n.the circuit are closed. Suitable means are provided for retaining the parts in such closed position, it being noted from Fig. 6 that the lower ends of the standards 55 on which the brush carrier 56 is slidingly mounted are provided with helical springs 82 which become com pressed When-the breaker is closed, such springs tending to cause movement of the brush carrier relatively to the rod 63, for a purpose to be later set forth, which movement, however, is prevented by engagement of the said carrier'with the lever 75 which is carried by the rod, this lever engaging the shoulder 71 'on the first-mentioned lever 70, as already described. The spring 7% which is mounted adjacent the upper end-of the slot in the rod 63 maintains the said shoulder and lever 77 in the engagement set are in closed position. (Fig. 5), a stop 87 being provided against which the lower end of the'deteilt engages (Fig. 6), the relation of the various parts being maintained by a spring 88 -actuating a. pin 89 adjacent its lower end, one end of the pin bearing against the lower end of the said detent, as shown.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the upper end of the armature 39 is provided with an offset arm 95 lying beneath and in-the path of the lever 70, so shown, one sideof the lower portion of this that when the current is flowing through the electro-magnet 36, thereby moving the armature 39, the said arm 95 will move upwardly against the tension of the spring 96 and come into engagement with the said lever, thereby opening the breaker; the armature 39 is retained in theposi tion shown in Fig. 4 by means. of the said spring 96, one end of which is fixed to an offset 97 carried by the arm $25, the other end being fixed to any a suitable support, such as a lug 98. opening of thebreaker in this manner occurs under the influence of an'abnormal current flowing in the line; the breaker may also be opened by hand by theaid of the following mechanism. Surrounding the sleeve 64, and lying adjacent the lower offset end be presently described as'the handle 65 of the breaker is turned. Pivotally engaged at The 101 (Fig. 3) with the upper end of the armature 37 is a lever 102, guided on top of the standard 55 by means of the slot 103 therein which embraces the standard, the said lever carrying a leaf spring 10 1 provided with a tooth 105 which lies in the path of the said tooth carried by the disk 99; if the handle 65 is turned the sleeve 64 will'tulu with it, and if the circuit breaker is closed further turning of the handle will bring the teeth 100-105 into engagement, whereby the lever 102 will be moved toward the left and the armature 37 will be swung adjacent the electromagnet 35, the contacts 4S49 which are included in the circuit of the shunt winding of the electro-magnet 36 coming into engagement, so that if there is voltage on the line the said electro-magnet will be energized and .the armature 39 will be moved, as described, with consequent opening of the breaker. The ciiicuit breaker, then, may operate through an overload by reason of the excess of current flowing through the series winding of the'electromagnet 36, whereby the armature 39 will be moved; the circuit breaker may also be opened through movement of the armature 3 -Wh1Cl1 closes the shunt winding on the sald electro-magnet 36, such movement of the armature taking place either by conch-- tions of the line, or mechanically, through turning of the handle 65. The circuit breaker may also be opened by pulling out wardly on the handle 65, since the lower offset end 69 of the sleeve (34: carried by the handle will lift the lever 70, the shoulder 71 on the lever coming out of en agement with the upper end of the lever 70, the detent 85 being freed of engagement with the tooth at the end of the lever portion 7 7 If a short circuit, or very low resistance load, or a very high pressure, exlsts on the c1rcuit before throwing the breaker in, an ab-f at 71 will be in the hole of brush carrier 56 and in slot of rod 63, nearly touching pin 84. Vhen the hand is removed from handle 65, spring 79 lifts rod (38 and tooth 76 of lever strikes under part of brush carrier 56 and swings lever 75 into position as shown in Fig. 4.

The breaker illustrated and described is adapted for use on either alternating or direct currents, and certain modifications fitting the structure, particularly for alternating current systems, may be made without departing from the inventive idea; such changes involve making the magnetic circuits and illHltltlll'QS of laminations rather than of solid material, as illustrated.

It may be desirable in some instances to equip the breaker with an auxiliary device whereby it will not operate on an overload;

such device may be termed a damping de-- vice, and may be of any suitable form of construction,that illustrated in Figs. 3 and (3 being preferred. Rotatably mounted in position is a spindle 150 carrying a vane 151 which turns therewith, the spindle being also provided with a pinion 152; fixed to the armature 37 and movable therewith is a sector 153, meshing with a pinion-154 carried on a suitable shaft l55, this shaft being also provided with a gear 156; between the first mentioned pinion 152 and the said gear 156 is a shaft 157 having a gear 158 thereon which meshes with the first mentioned pinion 152, this said shaft being provided with a pinion which engages with the gear 156. Circuit breakers Without damping device require upper end of armature 37 to extend sufliciently high as to enga top contact piece 49, but with damping device gear segment 153 is added as shown in Fig. 4- to carry contact piece 49, said gear segment being pivotally mounted on armature pin 38 and pressed against the side of top of armature 37 with ends 16l-162 of helical spring 160 mounted on pin 38 (Fig.

4). It can be naturally seen, that heavy intense currents when passing through coil 35 attract armature 37 with considerable force. If this force is directly transferred to segment 153, in a very short time the damping gearing will be destroyed. Referring to Fig. 1, if now an overload occurs, which causes the armature 37 to be moved under the influence of the current circulating in the winding 35, it will be attracted and separated from sector 153, the movement of the said sector will contact 49 toward contact 48 will be retarded, spring 160, which is stronger than spring 45 will. cause the sector 153 with contact 49 to follow armature, since the vane 151 must make a determined number of revolutions before the contacts 4849 can come into engagement; thus, an appreciable length of time, for instance, two seconds, may be required to bring the contact 49 into such position that these said contacts engage, and if the short circuit or overload is intense then, of course, the breaker will not be opened.

Many changes may be made in the details of construction resulting in 'a circuit breaker differing in appearance from what is shown, it being clear, however, that the inventive idea remains the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a circuit breaker of the classdescribed, a pair of contact brushes,-a reciprocating member connected therewith, a spring acting on said reciprocating member for normally holding said, brushes in an open position, a catch connected with said reciprocating member, a pivotally mounted stop arranged in said reciprocating member and interlockingwith said catch when the catch is in a lowered position for holding the reciprocating member and the brushes ina lowered position whereby the brushes are maintained in a closed position, a pair of magnets, the winding of said magnets being in series with one of said brushes, an armature actuated by one of said magnets, said stop being formed with a projection extending to a point adjacent one of said magnets, and means for holding said armature against actuation until an omrload has passed for an appreciable time throu'ghthe winding of said magnets, said armature being formed with an extension adapted to engage the extension on said stop for moving the stop and thereby release said catch when the armature has been operated, whereby the reciprocating member will be released and said first mentioned spring will cause said brushes to be moved to an open position.

2. In a circuit breaker of the-character described, a pair of connecting brushes, a reciprocating member connected therewith, a 

